


The In-Betweeners

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Thicker than Water [85]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-07-12
Packaged: 2017-12-19 06:40:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/880623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At first he just stood there stunned by what he saw.  He was even more stunned when Hotch jumped in his arms like an enthusiastic puppy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The In-Betweeners

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written in the Thicker than Water universe where the BAU are kids and teens.

“Hey Emily,” Hotch knocked on the bedroom door before sticking his head in. Emily was relaxing on her bed writing in a spiral notebook. Ashley was at the bottom of the bed. She read out loud from a book. She looked up when Hotch walked in but Emily didn’t. “Em?”

“Yeah?” she took off her earphones.

“Can I talk to you?”

“Sure.” 

“Alone.” He said, trying and failing not to glance at Ashley.

“Do I have to go Emily?” she asked. “I'm reading _Ramona and Beezus_.”

“I know munchkin but it’s almost time to get ready for bed. You should go and get into your pajamas.”

“Can I come back when I do?”

“As soon as Hotch and I are finished talking I'm gonna come and tuck you guys in.” Emily said.

“OK.”

It didn’t sound as if Ashley liked it but she did as she was told. Closing her book, she climbed off the bed. She took it under her arm and left the room. She glared at Hotch while doing so. He didn’t seem to pay her much mind.

As soon as she was gone, Hotch closed the door and sat down on the bed. He knew they didn’t really do closed doors around there but this was private. He didn’t want the younger girls wandering in or someone eavesdropping outside. For just a moment or two he needed Emily to himself. She didn’t say anything about the closed door so he figured it was OK with her.

“What's up?” she asked, putting her notebook on the nightstand. She put the earphones on top of it.

“I'm not disturbing anything am I?” he asked. “You looked like you were busy.”

“I'm never too busy for you, Hotch. I was just writing down some thoughts for my English paper. I read Rebecca and have to compare and contrast it with the film. Amazing film but the book blew my mind. This is going to be an interesting project.”

“It sounds important.”

“It’s a quarter of my AP English grade but it’s not due until February. I've got plenty of time to work on it and give it the Prentiss stamp of super awesomeness. What's up?”

“This came in the mail today.” He handed her an envelope. “It’s from Fordham.”

“You didn’t open it.” She said.

“No.” Hotch shook his head. “I mean I want to but…what if they reject me too?”

“You were not rejected from Columbia, Hotch. I know the waiting list sucks but it’s better than a flat out no.”

“I can't afford to be on Fordham’s waiting list too. Megan got her Barnard letter last week; she’s in. If I don’t get into Fordham she's going to have to make the choice to go to another school. What if she doesn’t? What if she chooses school over me?”

“I don’t think Megan would choose anything over you.” Emily replied. “But that’s not the point of this. This isn’t about Megan. You just want to get into a good school and the Columbia blow was tough. You don’t want another rejection.”

“I got into Villanova, Amherst, and Boston University. Those are all pretty exclusive schools. I can't imagine Fordham turning me down except I want it so much that it’s bound not to come true.”

Emily just wanted to hug him. He looked so dejected already but hadn’t even seen the letter. If Fordham didn’t want Aaron Hotchner they were fools. She was shocked when Columbia passed on him but the Ivy League was a lot of competition. Even if you were the best they sometimes still said no thank you. 

Emily hadn’t told anyone but Zoe that she’d applied and gotten into Yale. There was no real chance of her going but it was her father’s alma mater. She wanted to see if she could do it after all she’d been through. Even still, Emily wasn’t sure if it was her merit or last name that opened that door. 

“Do you want me to open it?” she asked.

“Yes but don’t tell me what it says.”

“Hotch, how can I not tell you what it says?”

“Just give me a thumbs up or thumbs down.” He replied in an exasperated tone. “I don’t want to hear words, just give me the signal.”

“Are you sure?”

“I'm sure.” He nodded. “In fact, just nod or shake your head. Yeah, OK, I'm ready.”

Emily opened the envelope. She almost nodded when Hotch said he was ready but didn’t want to freak him out. She’d known him for over two years and had never seen him so on edge. College was important, it was for all of them, but he was beside himself. Emily wasn’t even religious but said a silent prayer before she pulled out the letter and began to read. Trying to keep her face expressionless wasn’t easy because she knew how much this meant to him. Then she nodded.

“Are you serious?” he asked.

She nodded again, giving the thumbs up for emphasis even though he'd told her not too. Emily dropped the paper and gave him two thumbs up. She also did a little dance.

“Oh my God,” Hotch whispered. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”

He jumped on Emily suddenly, which made her shriek in both surprise and joy. Hotch was not a hugger; he rarely touched people. He was shouting enthusiastically and Emily wasn’t even sure the words coming out of his mouth were real words. But his pure delight was infectious. She hugged him just as hard as he hugged her.

“Emily, are you…” Jason walked into the room. “What in the…?”

“I got in!” Hotch exclaimed, moving off Emily and the bed. He rushed into his best friend’s arms. “Jason, I got in!”

“Huh?” Gideon didn’t even know how to react. At first he just stood there stunned by what he saw. He was even more stunned when Hotch jumped in his arms like an enthusiastic puppy. His best friend was speaking but he couldn’t quite make out what he said. Jason looked at Emily and she was grinning from ear to ear. He still didn’t know what was happening but he hugged Hotch back. “This is clearly good news.”

“I got into Fordham.” Hotch looked at him, tears glistening in his eyes. “Emily just read my acceptance letter. They want me.”

“I knew it!” Jason hugged him even harder. He knew he was about to start crying as well. “I knew it Aaron, this is fantastic news.”

“It’s the best.”

Emily got up from the bed and made it a group hug. She wrapped her arms around Jason, squeezing Hotch in the middle. Soon all three of them were jumping up and down as if involuntarily. Spencer walked down the hall and just looked at them hugging in the doorway. He pushed his glasses up on his face.

“What's going on?” he asked.

Emily was surprised none of the other kids came running out to see the show. They lived in a full house though, noise was the norm. It was nights when the house was quiet that there was concern. She smiled at Spencer.

“Hotch is going to college.” She said.

“That’s great.” Spencer smiled too. “Which one did you choose?”

“I just got my acceptance letter from Fordham.” Hotch said. The three teens realized they were still clinging to each other and slowly came apart. Hotch kept his arm around Jason.

“That’s three hours away.” The eleven year old was surprised.

“I know but it’s going to be a good place for me. Don’t worry Spencer, I'm never gonna be too far away to be your big brother. I need to go and call Megan before she goes to sleep.”

Hotch wrapped Emily up in his arms once more, giving her a big kiss on the cheek. He dashed out of the room and down the hall to the attic steps. Emily couldn’t stop smiling.

“I just came to tell you that it’s time for our story.” Spencer said.

“Did Ashley tell you to come and remind me?” Emily asked.

“Yes.” He nodded.

“I’ll be there in 10 minutes. You guys get all snuggled in, OK?”

“OK.” Spencer smiled, turning and heading back toward his own bedroom.

Jason was surprised when Emily threw her arms around him. It was more normal than Hotch doing such a thing. Hugging her back was second nature to him; as simple as breathing.

“You're really happy for him.” He said.

“There's a possibility I could cry myself to sleep later.” She whispered.

“Hotch would say the same thing to you that he said to Spencer. He's never going to be too far away to be your big brother.”

“Bite your tongue, Jason Gideon. I'm the big sister in that equation.”

“My mistake.” He smiled as he kissed her lips. “You can come to my room and talk after you finish reading to the munchkins.”

“I will. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“And thanks for letting your rational mind take over before kicking your best friend’s ass.” Emily said as she walked down the hall to Spencer and Ashley’s room.

“That would’ve sucked for all parties involved I think.”

“Indeed.”

Jason watched Emily walk into the kids’ room and then he headed for Hotch’s. Most likely he was still on the phone with Megan telling her the good news. It was Friday night so Jason was surprised that she wasn’t there with them. At least he would get a little best friend time so they could talk about all that was getting ready to happen. For the first time since they met when Jason was eleven and Hotch nine they were going to be separated. 

They were nearly men now…carving out their own lives and their own paths. They had girls who they loved and dreams they wanted to come true. Jason just wanted Hotch to know that he would always be his best friend. He would always be his brother. He would probably try to find a million ways to say it before the time came for Hotch to actually go. Tonight he wanted to get it out there and get it right.

***


End file.
